The End and the Beginning

After the delay to summer’s end,
autumn fruits and berries remind
us of the taste of summer
the luxurious heat
the lingering light
the genesis
of brand new
buds of
spring
red
purple
gold and brown
wrapped in grey mist
and the smell of leaves
smoke curls from a bonfire
long before the chimneys belch
and winter’s icy fingers creep
through windows closed tight against the chill

Kim M. Russell, 8th September 2018

blackberries

My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Weekend Mini Challenge Fussy Little Forms: Nonet  also linked to Poets United Poetry Pantry

Marian is hosting the Weekend Mini Challenge with one of the fussy little forms: the nonet. In poetry, a nonet is a nine-line poem in which the first line consists of nine syllables, the next line eight, and so on until the final one-syllable line.

Marian says that no rhyme is required, no particular topic or subject, and we can write a second stanza in reverse, as a kind of opposite or mirror.

53 thoughts on “The End and the Beginning”

  1. This is absolutely gorgeous Kim! 😍 So much to love in this poem .. I can picture the ‘autumn fruits and berries’.. and adore the ‘buds of spring red purple gold and brown wrapped in grey mist’.. sigh.. a nonet to remember! ❤ ❤

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  4. Love your Nonet, Kim. Images ooze of the early days of autumn, reminds me so much of walking through the cover of leaves fallen on the sidewalks at St. Johnberry (London, U.K.).
    ..

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  5. Oh, I am transfixed by the assonance here in particular — it is wonderful to read it out loud.
    Some lovely imagery too; it sets the seasonal mood and a kind of foreboding. I loved this bit in particular: “smoke curls from a bonfire/long before the chimneys belch”.
    -HA

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  8. There is nothing like the autumn fruits and berries (and vegetables too – smiles). And, ah, the smell of leaves…and a bonfire. Your poem definitely evokes the wonders of autumn, a season to enjoy before winter takes hold.

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  9. Ahhh… yes. When I’m finished reading poems this morning, I’ll pick some of those raspberries. 🙂
    Love how this form works and flows for your thoughts. I hadn’t considered the shapes of the nonet poems but yours looks so nice and fits the subject matter, wraps it all up against the coming chill. Wonderful.

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  14. The flow here is quite lovely. I think it’s neat how you bring us through the year, ending in that reminder of the chill which does add a nice shivery note at the end.

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  16. You made the seasons come to life, I admire your use of the form. I haven’t tried one of these in a long time. I’m with Bjorn, I would love some raspberries. I may have to go pick some before they are gone.

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  17. My comment disappeared! I love that you did a double nonet. The tastes and textures, smells all bring autumn to the front. I went blackberry picking a few weeks ago and I am not ashamed to say, I ate most of them before I could freeze them and make a cobbler from them. I went back and picked some more and froze and made a cobbler. I loved this nonet.

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